So we haven't talked much about the Hermann this season. At first glance, it appears Wake Forest Sr. Jon Bakero is the heavy front-runner: He's second in the country in goals (16) and assists (14) and is the only player in the top 10 in both categories. And, he plays for a once-beaten team that is in the QFs of the NCAA Tournament. That's about as solid a resume for the Hermann as one can have. Other candidates seem like long-shots: Tomas Hilliard-Arce, Sr. D, Stanford - 3 goals, 3 assists, anchors defense w/ 0.44 GAA (3rd in the nation) Stuart Holthusen, Sr. F, Akron - 12 goals, 3 assists Foster Langsdorf, Sr. F, Stanford - 13 goals, 6 assists Grant Lillard, Sr. D, Indiana - 2 goals, 2 assists, anchors defense w/ 0.21 GAA (best in the nation) Cam Lindley, So. M, North Carolina - 7 goals, 12 assists Santiago Patino, Jr. F, Florida International - 15 goals, 5 assists That's about it. I may be forgetting someone and please feel free to toss out some other names. But as I see it, it looks like Bakero should be the second straight Demon Deacon to win the Hermann.
Chris Mueller, F Wisconsin. Best player I have seen in several years. With or without the ball. Watched Bakero twice on media devices. I don’t know how he is compiling these stats. He looks pedestrian to me. From my very small sampling, I even wonder at Bakero’s professional prospects. Maybe I will see more of him soon. Based on stats, the HT goes to Bakero, but boy, I don’t know. The real cream of this crop are Center Backs (hardest position to play). Both Hilliard-Arce and Lillard are beasts and likely pros. But HT rarely goes to defenders (sigh).
SHIT! I knew I was forgetting someone. Wisconsin Sr. M Chris Mueller actually had 9 goals and 20 assists (tops in the country). Should definitely be considered. Shouldn't beat out Bakero, but wouldn't surprise me if he's a finalist.
Between those two, I know whom I would pick for my side. Mueller's future is at Attacking MF, but he played a withdrawn F every time I watched him this year. Splitting hairs, I know, but just because Messi gets a lot of assists doesn't mean he plays Midfield. It matters.
Bakero has been a bit off down the final stretch. I would also agree that he is not the type of player that is going to completely take over a game by himself and isn't a flashy player by any means. However, Wake's attack wouldn't be anywhere near the same without him. I also don't think the committee will be able to ignore his stats unless as you say, they choose a defender for the HT.
Whose Dad? Bakero's or Mueller's? Now this IS interesting. (Use the quote link so that we can tell what you are responding to.)
José Mari Bakero? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Mari_Bakero I am certainly old enough, but I do not specifically recall this player.
We didn't get nearly the info on players like this compared to what we do now. But the elder Bakero had a damn good career. Six La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys, 1 European Cup (Champions League precursor) and two Cup Winners' Cups (back when that tournament was a bigger deal than the current Europa League). Plus he played for Spain in two European championships and one World Cup. His managerial career hasn't been as illustrious but I bet an MLS team that signs the younger Bakero wouldn't mind being able to pick his brain a little and I bet he has a boatload of contacts that most MLS coaches and execs would kill for.
It will be difficult to get a defender grasping the award. In football, a collective sport by the way, individual bounties got too often to the guys who score goals or are in a position where stats are visible and easy to understand by the majority. Indeed, it is difficult to score goals and thus top strikers and creators attract a hefty transfer price: fair enough. The solution would be to have at least two equal value trophies. One for offensive players and one for defensive heroes. And I would include goal keepers in the later. But it will not happen as media and the people want glittering unique stars, aka leaders. And the art of defending is not glamorous enough. Football is a game of narrow winning scores. So indeed the talent who regularly scores or creates decisive winning goals is a rarity. However, winning 1-0 also relies on great defenders, organisational brains and tremendous goal keeping. What would be Zidane's Real without Makelele? MU without Keane, Arsenal without Vieira, Germany without Neuer or Lahm? The value of Kross, Modric, Pirlo, Hummels, MaldiniEtc...
To me, Bakero is not the same player without Harrison, Harkes, and Hayes. Those two added a lot to what Bakero could do. He doesn't have those players around him now that really make him stand out. I have watched him his whole career, only saw him live once (Wake @ Louisville this fall). For sure, he's more "pedestrian" this year. Easy to see how Harrison, Hayes, and Harkes could aide Bakero's career.
Disagree completely, although how you feel about him is exactly how I thought I would feel about him this year. I've thought for the previous 3 years that Bakero has been a very average forward and that he wouldn't be good enough to make it. I've found him to be "pedestrian" as you guys say and didn't compare to the Cody arnoux, Marcus Tracy, or Zach schilawskis that Wake has had in the past. This year he has broken out of his shell. From game 1 of this year he has seemed much quicker and created several goals/chances for himself and others, which has been a big difference from his previous 3 years. You will rarely ever see him lose possession, and again, there is a reason he has the stats he has this year and it's not because the team is much better this year than last year. I agree that he is not the breakout kind of player that Harrison was, but he has served the lone forward role extremely well this year, far better than I expected him to without Harkes and Hayes underneath him.
One other thing that other HT winners have done in the past is shine in big games. Bakero has been a bit off since conference tourney time while players like Mueller and Hilliard-Arce have continued to be dominant forces in the NCAAs. I think if Hilliard-Arce is able to shut down Bakero this next game like he did last year, he might have a chance of winning the HT. (And would deserve it as well) Mueller has been very deserving of the award, but getting knocked out in the sweet 16 might prevent him from being able to win it.
When is the last time someone put up 20 assists in DIvision I soccer ? Crush the Big Ten Record by 3 assists.
Official semifinalists: https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/web...C_Hermann_Trophy_Semifinalists_Announced.aspx
I don't know. It's gotta be very rare, though. If I had to guess, I'd say Chad Marshall in 02. Is there an archive of the semifinalists anywhere?
Less than 50%. I sure wish he hadn’t made that list. But if GenAdd comes calling, who can turn down that deal? I think he needs another year, but I always think that. The Yedlin family will not let me forget that I advised their progeny to stay a 3rd year. Important to note that even DeAndre Yedlin played 2 years.